I attempting to hammer out a routine for the Color Chaning Knives. This effect incorporates a paddle move and second "regular" knive.

My question is I don't know how to secretly switch the first knife for the second knife. They are relatively small in size (both fit awkwardly in the same hand) but maybe there is an easier method that I am unaware of.

It's hard to give advice on a switch without knowing more about the context. Will you be sitting or standing? What happens directly before the point that you need to make the switch? Tell us whatever you can about the effect, and it will be much easier to give advice on a switch.

If it appears to the specatator that only one knife is in play, I'ved use a shuttle pass while appearing to transfer the knife from one hand to the other. Works best if you have a reason to be swiching hands too ;)

I should have been move specific in my orginal post. Sorry about that.

The knives are made by Philip Morris. The instructions include a patter and suggested presentation that Morris uses. The ending of the suggested presentation incorporates both knives. With patter as, "the reason why you are seeing a black knife and and white knife is because I am using two knives". Then the magician pulls the second knife out of their right pocket. The illusion concludes with one knife in each hand and then the two knives to change color. However that ending does not leave you clean, and any educated (over the age of 4) layman will probably want to see the knives or at least have a good idea of the secret.

I would like to use the second knife as proof that the first knife was "normal". Therefore I need to secretly switch the first knife for the second one. The knife will be in my left hand (perpendicular to the direction of my fingers in the palm of the hand) when the switch would take effect. I will probably be standing when performing the effect.

However, I used to do a switch by rolling the knife in my trousers (90 degrees to leg) - kinda like folding cloth over it - have spectator hold (actually I slip it out and they are holding a dupe knife in my pants pocket) I then put the hand with the knife at the top of my pocket, the other grips pants below and pulling the fabric taught the knife seemingly penetrates... I then bring out the other knife, leaving the originalin the pocket.

This may be tough to figure by a short verbal description, but if you think it out you can figure it.

I'm not sure where I got this from, but I'm sure it was many years ago.

Play it simple, you have changed the color of the knife twice, hopefully you are using patter that grants a motive to the moves, but that is an entirely different subject.

I do one of two moves now, either a false transfer or with my smaller knives, I do a French drop and say "OK, we have changed it from white to black, how about you pick a color" I am now holding my empty hand like I have the knife, as if about to hand it to the spectator. If they say red, I play a game. I have a red knife in my pocket and explain "this is how I switch the knives" ditching the double color knife and pull out the red. Now make the red one disappear via your favorite method.

Now, if they say any other color, I say "I'm sorry, but I can't do that color" and Viola the knife as vanished. All at once I either ditch the gaff in my pocket or if it's more formal, I use my Topit.

One idea for switching out a knife is the use of a magnet placed somewhere in your clothing. I first saw this idea used by Joe Mogar, who would have a magnet in his back pocket, pretend to take the knife in the left hand, drop the right hand to his side, ditch the knife on the magnet and point to his right side pocket saying "The knife will travel to this pocket". The knife then vanishes from the left hand and both hands are shown to be empty. You then reach into the pocket and produce a different knife. This of course leaves you with a knife stuck to your rear end, but you can steal this off and ditch it, or use it later in your routine, if you wish. Of course there are some angle problems here, but you could have the magnet conceled anywhere, the back of your coat sleeve, behind your knee, etc. Rene Levand makes extensive use of conceled magnets, in his knife routine, and says that the best place is the crotch of the pants, as it's a place that no one tends to look! The Phillip Morris knives that you use are more commonly known as Enardo knives. I used to use these until I got a set of The Scotty York knives. The only problem with the Enardo knives, is that they quit making the solid black knives years ago. I did a lot of searching, before I finally found a "vintage" 3 knife set from Ron Allesi. (I'll insert a little add here ... If anyone want's to buy this set from me, I will let it go for what I paid for it - $30). I don't know if this will help you with your particular routine, but the magnet idea is a pretty strong weapon.

Another method might to be a switch I've used for years. It's a GREAT set up for the smash knife climax!

B/W knife is in the right hand ready for the paddle move.

Left hand goes into pocket and pulle the W/W knife and places it between the index finger and middle finger of the right hand.

Do the paddle move with the B/W knife only, showing it to be black on both sides as in the regular routine.

Tell the spectator that you keep one knife (left hand removed the B/W knife and openly pockets it in the left side pocket and grabs a handful of the little knives) in your pocket and the other in plain sight.

Left hand comes out in a loose fist. Do a cigarette push-in vanish into the left hand (right hand retails the knife, but the spectator thinks you have done a switch to the black knife).

Turn slightly to your right and, as you dump the little knives into the spectator's hand, pocket the white knife in the right pocket.

I showed this to the late Heba Haba Al when we worked at the New York Lounge and he told me that this was very similar to an Ascanio sequence with the smash climax.